I've replaced the detent plate in my Bird a year or so ago. It's still wanting to drop into gear so I'm in the process of replacing the lever. For the life of me I can't get the pin out that secures it. I've tried hammering it through from the top and bottom. I've broken off drill bits inside it trying to drive it. Is there a trick? Does it need to be pushed from the bottom? I've tried a nail set too and no luck.

It will come out. However it takes quite a bit of force to hammer it out. You can punch it out from the top. There's no trick to it. It's all brute force and a good punch. Don't use a drill bit. They are meant to drill, not punch hardened steel. If you haven't done it put the shift lever all the way down in low.

You're driving a roll pin, which is spring steel. Use the correct size punch- not a nail set. A nail set will enlarge the roll diameter and make it harder to drive.

It also helps to make the column more solid by cutting a 2x4 and wedging it between the column and the floor.

Definitely that last bit!
Put the 2x4 (from memory I used a 2x2) between the floor and the bottom of the hole that the roll-pin will (hopefully!) come out of, you will have to drill a hole in the end of the length of wood to accommodate the pin.

And for what it's worth I reckon a fair chance you'll find it was the shift lever that had all the wear, not the detention plate as the plate is a lot harder material the shifter.

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A Thunderbirder from the Land of the Long White Cloud.

My lever was like your old one but I got my cousin who is a machinist-welder to build up the worn area with a hard-facing rod in his welder then I ground it down to the same profile as it had when new.

Worked out just fine!

(My Scottish heritage combined with the cost of buying and shipping a new one to New Zealand made me go for a less costly (cheap!) fix)

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A Thunderbirder from the Land of the Long White Cloud.

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